Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

The Wych Elm by Tana French

12 reviews

mihrreader's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Man, I'll be frank, this book messed me up. It is, as they'd say, "a real headwrecker." It is decidedly not a cozy mystery, nor is it sensationalized in the way much popular true crime tends to be. This book is unflinchingly human, extremely down to Earth, and hard to read. I feel the same way about this story as I did several cases I worked when I was assigned to the Cold Cases unit of the DA's Office:  it's sad and it sucks and there's nothing you can do about it other than watch it unfold. When I say "it sucks," that is by no means a reflection on the plot or storytelling, both are excellent; Tana French is an extremely skilled writer.

Having Toby as the narrator makes this book so much of a mindfuck, because he's an extremely unreliable narrator because of his brain injury. While Toby questions himself, his character, and his memory, it kind of forces the reader to ponder the same questions. I cannot recommend this book if you grapple with memory issues, questions of identity, and/or depression. It'll absolutely exacerbate those feelings. The ending is far from happy. It left me with a very diminished sense of the world, of lingering diffuse sadness.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Homophobia, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

wildhorses's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Death, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

rgarvais's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

I truly hated this book. The representations of disability were frankly disgusting and make me audibly gasp a couple times. I read a few interviews with the author, thinking maybe this was on purpose (though that still wouldn’t explain nor forgive the writing)? But it wasn’t. The author was focused on the privilege of the main character, and when asked about the ableism in her book, brushes aside the question. I do NOT recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Violence, and Murder

dizzymisslizzy's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Medical trauma

Minor: Self harm

seadeepy's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use, Sexual assault, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Self harm, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

emmajp's review against another edition

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Alcoholism

cfell's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Self harm

dusktreader's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The audiobook narrator for this book is fantastic! Such a nuanced performance. 
This book was sometimes hard to read because the main character struggles so much with internalized ableism after his brain injury, only he’s kind of a jerk so that’s not how he’s framing it. It’s totally realistic that someone like him would react with anger and frustration about the way he’s being perceived so it’s not bad writing, just kind of tiring to be around. 
But it is interesting being inside the head of a guy who is kinda oblivious and privileged and a little douchey as he starts to realize it and wonder what he’s really capable of. 
I liked this enough that I want to read more Tana French. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Murder

surefinewhatever_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

Thanks, I hated it.

Let me start with the one redeeming quality of this book, Tana French can write a damn house! Just like the home in The Likeness, I could picture the Ivy House perfectly! It was cozy (until it wasn’t) and atmospheric and just so vibrantly written. 

But that skill is not enough to save this book. Not only is every single character (except Hugo, whom I felt affection for and wanted to see more of) unlikeable, but our protagonist is the *most* unlikeable of the bunch. Seriously. Irredeemably so. I guessed the killer prior to the reveal, but that’s not saying a whole lot as this book is SLOW. And lastly, though frankly most importantly, this book is ableist and fatphobic as FUCK. Like, jarringly so. I felt like I was constantly being pulled out of the story because I was taken aback by the ableist comments. Bad bad bad.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Cancer, Death, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Fatphobia

rileyreadsagain's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Blood, Dementia, Medical trauma, and Alcohol

Minor: Drug use, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis